Sustainability Problem

• Reduce gas usage in vehicles, which reduces CO2 emissions and related costs.

Summary of “The Fuel-Efficient Driver” by Daniel Gross

• A matchbox-sized device with red, yellow and green lights is installed on the vehicle’s dash near the steering wheel. It objectively monitors 5 driving behaviors: hard breaking, acceleration, lane handling, cornering, and speeding.
• Driving is a learned behavior. The GreenRoad device monitors the driver’s driving style in real time. When driving less efficiently—which wastes gas—the driver will receive a yellow or red status light. The driver will need to correct behavior for at least 10 minutes to return to the green status.
• Good driving at consistent speeds (55 mph recommended) reduces fuel consumption between 4-5%. It also increases safety, reduces wear and tear on the vehicles, and reduces the number of accidents.
• Data is transmitted to a centralized reporting hub. Driver reports are used to reward or correct drivers. In use, most drivers self-correct their behavior over a 3 week period using the status lights.
• In one noted implementation the device was installed on a fleet of 2,400 busses with the target of reducing fuel consumption by 3%. A bus that drives 150,000 miles per year at 5 mpg uses 30,000 gallons of diesel. A 3% reduction saves $2,700 presuming a fuel price of $3/gallon.
• The Energy Information Administration estimates that burning a gallon of diesel emits 22.38 pounds of CO2 . This  fuel savings would reduce CO2 emission by 20,145 pounds per year.

Stakeholders:

• Companies with fleets of vehicles
• Drivers
• Mechanics
• Oil & gas companies, producers and distributors
• Mammals who breathe air
• The environment

Deployment

• The $40 device can be installed on any vehicle.
• Companies that run fleets of cars, trucks, or busses would see a quick return on investment in reduced aggregate costs, encouraging them to invest in the technology.
• An online dashboard allows for real time tracking and monitoring reports to allow business owners to immediately begin tracking the behavior of their drivers.

Resources:

• Slate Article: “The Fuel-Efficient Driver“
• Energy Information Administration
• GreenRoad